The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-14
LIEUTENANT-GOVER ROBERTSON IN
STALLED

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. ROBERTSON IN
STALLED.
Lieutenant-governor Robertson was duly in
Quoted into Office yesterday, the votes being
opened and published by the Speaker of the
House and the oath taken by the Lieutenant
governor in manner and form as prescribed |
by the Constitution and laws of the State. /
this constitutional ceremony would occur in
the hall of the House of Representatives at |
1890 o'clock on Monday, and the Republican |
Senator's were present at the appointed time, |
toge' her with the entire body Of the House. |
The Democratic revolutionists in the Senate
refused to attend, but this made no difference.
The Constitution was just as operative in their
absence as if they had been present. They
greatly magnifed their Importance by sup
posing they could nullify the Constitution of
Indiana by going to take drink instead of
witnessing the interesting ceremony of pub
fishing the votes by the Speaker and admins
tering the oath to the new Lieutenant-gov-
ernor. Their presence or absence was not ma
terial. The Speaker Of the House opened and
published the votes and declared r. S. Rob-
ertson duly elected The latter then took the
oath of office and assumed the chair, which
was gracefully yielded to him by Speaker
Sayre, called the attention of the joint conven-
ton with rapof the gavel, and proceeded to de-
liver brief and appropriate inaugural address
At this point the Democratic members of the
House seemed to become suddenly ignbued
with the spirit of highly unmanageable In
dams. If it was the sudden accession Of in
formation, caused by realization of the fact
that Colonel Robertson was Lieute nant- gov
ernor, they should be careful of their brains
hereafter and turn on the light gradually.
The intellectual organs, when in an enfeebled
condition, should not be subjected suddenly
to too great strain. In this case the effect
was abnormal cerebral excitement. The Dem
ocratic brethren were nearly all on their feet
at once, finging their arms in the air, stamp
ing their feet and shouting wild defiance at
"that man." That man was Lieutenant gov
ernor Robertson OF course it was impossible
for him to control the surging sea of animated
anger before him, but he did control himself,
and that was moro to the point. After deliv-
ering his brief address he raped again with
his little gave and declared tine joint conven-
ton adjourned until Wednesday, the 10Th
inst, at II o'clock, then and there to take
action necessary to the election of United
States Senator This ended the joint con-
vention. The proceedings throughout were
in strict accordance with the Constitution, ex-
certing the episode caused by the temporary
of the House. This, like much else
that the Democracy do was ra-constitu-
tional. Fortunately, it does not appear in the
record. This and the flight of the Demo
cratic Senators are among the omitted pro-
ceedings in the record This, we are pleased to
| state, is straight and regular in every respect,
and will inform the future historian that the
| Speaker of the House discharged his duty and
Lieutenant-governor Robertson took the oath
in strict accordance with the Constitution.
The sole duty of the joint convention, when
it reassembles. will be to ballot for United
States Senator The time and manner of
electing a Senator are fixed by act of Congress,
the object being to make such elections uni
form in all the States and to. insure the repre-.
sentation of every State in the Senate. The
law requires that, on the second Tuesday afte,
the meeting and organization Of the Legisla-
ture. the two houses shall vote separately fo,
United States Senator, and if they do no,
unite in choice they shall, at 10 o'clock or
the next day, meet in joint convention and
vote again for Senator, and so continue tc
meet and vote on each and every day until
Senator is elected. If the revolutionsts re
fuse to 60 into joint convention at - O'Clock
on Wednesday, the 10th inst, the time II
which Lieutenant governor Robertson .ad
iourned the joint convention yesterday, they
will violate the act of Congress governing The
election of Senators, and thus add another
shade Of blackness to the infamy that now
covers them. But their absence will make M
difference.
CASE IN POINT.